Vacuumizing apparatus



Sept. 12, 1950 c. G. PRElS 2,521,746

VACUUMIZING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 lNVENTOR BY M LO ATTORNI-iY-S Sept. 12, 1950 c, PREls 2,521,746

VACUUMIZING APPARATUS Filed Oct. 8, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fig-.3 1E: .77 mi A I \k "4m Z\; 'gf g; 27

Patented Sept. 12, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VACUUMIZING APPARATUS Carl G. Preis, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to American Can Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application October 8, 1946, Serial No. "702,013

6 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a machine or apparatus for vacuumizing containers or cans and has particular reference to devices for retaining a coinminuted product in a can during the vacuumizing operation.

In the packing of some comminuted products, such as coffee and the like, in cans the head space of the filled can usually is first vacuumized before the can is closed and sealed. During this vacuumizing operation some precaution must be taken to prevent the product from being blown out of the can and distributed throughout the vacuum system. This action on the product is usually minimized by applying the cover to the can loosely and crimping it in place to hold it just enough to permit a vacuum to be drawn on the head space without displacement of the cover. This application of the cover requires added operations and in some cases is not entirely satisfactory because of uneven distribution of the vacuumization of the cans.

The instant invention contemplates overcoming these difficulties by providing a filter head for the can during the vacuumizing process which will not interfere with passage of air therethrough but will prevent passage of the contents.

An object of the invention is the provision in a can vacuumizing machine of a. filter device wherein open top cans filled with a comminuted product may be readily vacuumized Without displacing the can contents during the vacuumizing operation.

Another object is the provision of such a device wherein the vacuum pull on the can interior is uniformly distributed with the result that a more uniform high vacuum is obtainable.

Another object is the provision of such a device which eliminates the necessity of extra clinching equipment so that cans without attached covers may be eiiiciently vacuumized before sealing. Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent as it is better understood from the following description, which, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is sectional View of a portion of the can entrance end of a vacuumizing machine embodying the instant invention, with parts broken away;

Figs. 2 and 3 are enlarged sectional views taken substantially along the lines 22, 3-4 in Fig. l, with parts broken away;

Fig. l is a top plan view of a filter head used in the machine, the view being taken substantially along the line l l in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a modified form of filter head and the upper end of a can to be vacuumized, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the filter head shown in Fig. 5.

As a preferred embodiment of the instant invention the drawings illustrate principal parts of a machine for vacuumizing and sealing sheet metal cans filled with coffee or the like product, such as the machine disclosed in United States Patent 2,039,338, issued May 5, 1936, to Ronald E. J. Nordquist and John D. LeFrank, on Vacuum Closing Machine.

In the machine, open top filled cans A (Figs. 1 and 2) are introduced into a vacuum chamber H for vacuumizing and sealing. The chamber is enclosed by a casing I2 having an opening l3 therein through which the cans pass. Theopening is surrounded by a curved valve seat Hi which projects through the opening into the vacuum chamber and which carries a cylindrical valve l5 having a plurality of pockets is for the recepr tion of the cans A. The valve is rotated continuously in any suitable manner such as that vdisclosed in the above mentioned Nordquist et a1.

patent.

The cans A are fed individually into the valve pockets it in any suitable manner as the valve rotates and are carried by the valve along a curved path of travel adjacent the seat 14 toward the vacuum chamber II. A can received in a pocket is disposed directly under and in alignment with a filter head 2| (Figs. 2 and 3). There is one of these heads in each pocket. These heads are formed preferably with a flat bottom surface and carry a resilient annular gasket 22 made of rubber or the like material for sealing engagement with the top edge of the open can. Within the area defined by the gasket 22 the heads are provided with a plurality of minute filter holes 23 (Fig. 4.) which extend through the heads.

Each filter head 2i is formed with an actuating stem 2% which extends up into a bore 2i formed in the valve !5 above each pocket 65. The stem of each filter head is raised and lowered relative to the can by a cam device associated with each pocket. For this purpose the stem 26 carries a cam roller 28 which extends out into the valve pocket and which engages against a normally stationary cam housed within the pocket. A compression spring 32 surrounding the lower end of the head stem 26 and interposed between the 3 head and the valve, keeps the cam roller 28 in engagement with the cam 3|.

The cam 35 is mounted on a vertical shaft 33 the ends of which are carried in bearings formed in the valve IS. The upper end of the shaft 33 extends above the valve and carries a cam arm 34. This cam arm carries a cam roller 35 which operates in cam groove 39 Of a stationar cam 31 mounted above the valve and secured to the casing I2.

Hence as a can A received in a pocket N3 of the valve I is carried toward the vacuum chamber II, the cam roller 35 operating in the stationary cam 37 rocks the shaft 33 and thus shifts the cam 3i. Shifting of the cam 3| permits the spring 32 to lower the filter head 2! into position on top of the can and to press the gasket 22 tightly against the upper edge of the can so that the contents of the can are confined against displacement.

With the filter head 2! in confining position on top of the can, continued rotation of the valve passes the can through the chamber opening and brings it successivel adjacent a pair of spaced vacuumizing slots 4! (Fig. 1) formed in the valve seat M. These slots communicate with the vacuum chamber H and hence as soon as a pocket l6 comes adjacent these slots the air in the pocket is immediately exhausted. In like manner, the vacuum pull of the chamber is effective through the filter holes 23 in the filter head 2! and hence the head space and the product in the can are vacuumized while the filter head confines the product within the can and thus prevents its displacement into the vacuum system.

By the time the can reaches the inner end of the valve seat 14, its head space and contents are vacuumized sufiiciently to prevent any displacement of the contents upon further vacuumization, if such additional vacuum is required. this point in the travel of the can, the filter head 2! is lifted ofi the can and raised to its original inoperative position. This is effected by a reverse rotation of the shaft and the cam 3| mounted thereon. This reverse rotation of the shaft is brought about through the stationar cam 31.

Simultaneously with the lifting of the filte head 2 l, the vacuumized can A is discharged from its valve pocket l6 and is pushed out into the vacuum chamber H. is effected b the usual discharge fingers, indicated by the numeral d3, housed within the valve pocket. In the instant case these fingers are mounted on the lower end of the shaft 33 and thus operate in time with the movement of the filter head 2|.

Upon entering the vacuum chamber 1! a can A is received in a turret 45 which propels the can through a curved path of travel for subsequent closing and. sealing operations asdisclosed in the above mentioned Nordquist patent.

Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings disclose a modified form of filter head 2!. In this modified form the bottom surface of the head is provided with a centrally located recess 48 and a surrounding gasketless annular ring 47. The ring is formed with a pluralit of closely spaced minute filter grooves 48 whi 1 extend radially across the face of the ring.

Hence when the filter head is moved down into engagement with a can A to be vacuumized, the lower surface of t-.e annular ring 4'1 contacts the upper edge of the can. vacuumizing of the can is effected through the filter grooves 48. With such a device the can contents also are confined against Hence at This discharge of the can I 4 displacement during the vacuumizing operation.

In both of these filter heads, the preferred form and the modified form, the filter holes are well distributed throughout the area of head adjacent the can and thus the Vacuum pull on the can interior is distributed equally to all parts of the can head space. This prevents a swirling action which otherwise would be set up by unequal air currents within the can and maintains the can contents in a quiescent condition.

If desired a fine mesh screen may be substituted for the filter holes 23 or filter grooves 48.

It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that various changes ma be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

I claim:

1. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat in said casing opening, a rotatable valve disposed in said seat and having a pocket for introducing an open top filled can into said chamber, a filter disposed in said valve pocket and having movement along the can axis, and means for moving said filter into engagement with the open end of the can carried in said valve pocket for retaining the comminuted product in the can while the can and its product are vacuumized.

2. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat in said casing opening, a rotatable valve disposed in said seat and having a pocket for introducing an open top filled can into said chamber, a filter disposed in said valve pocket in alignment with the can in the pocket, said filter being movable into engagement with the open end of the can in said valve pocket for retaining the comminuted product in the can during passage of air from the interior of the can into the vacuum chamber, thereby vacuumizing the can without displacement of its product, and means within said valve pocket and operable in time with the rotation of said valve for effecting movement of said filter into engagement with said can prior to the introduction of the can into said vacuum chamber.

3. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat in said casing opening, a rotatable valve disposed in said seat and having a pocket for the reception of an open top filled can, a filter disposed in said valve pocket in alignment with said can, said filter having actuating means for moving the filter into engagement with the open end of the aligned can for vacuumizing the can without displacement of its product, a discharge finger within said valve pocket for discharging the vacuumized can from said valve pocket into said chamber, and means carried by said discharge finger and having cooperation with the actuating means of said filter when discharging the can from the valve pocket for moving said filter out of engagement with the can.

4. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat in said casing opening, a rotatable valve disposed in said seat and having a plurality of pockets for introducing open top filled cans into said chamber, a filter having an actuating stem slidably di posed in said valve within each valve pocket and being reciprocable toward and away from the can in the pocket, spring means for moving each of said filters into engagement with the open ends of the associated cans for vacuumizing the same without displacement of the product therein, and cam means disposed in each of said pockets for cooperation with the associated spring means to effect shifting of said stems and the filters carried thereon just prior to said valve introducing the can into said vacuum chamber.

5. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat in said casing opening, a rotatable valve operable within said seat and having a pocket for introducing open top filled cans into said chamber, a pad disposed in said valve pocket, means for moving said pad along the axis of the can, an annular resilient sealing gasket located on a surface of said movable pad for engaging the open located inside of the area defined by said sealing gasket for retaining the comminuted product in the can when the interior of the can and its product are subjected to the vacuum of said vacuum chamber to vacuumize the can without displacement of its product.

6. In a machine for vacuumizing uncovered containers filled with a comminuted product, the combination of a casing having an opening therein and enclosing a vacuum chamber, a valve seat insaid casing opening, a rotatable valve disposed in said seat and having a pocket for introducing open top filled cans into said chamber, a pad disposed in said valve pocket and movable into engagement with the open end of the can carried therein, a plurality of filter grooves formed in the can engaging surface of the pad and extending across the open end of the can for retaining the comminuted product in the can while the can contents is subjected to the vacuum of said vacuum chamber, and means for moving said pad into engagement with said can.

CARL G. PREIS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

